Illinois Laws
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Are Autopsy Reports Public in Illinois? (2026 Guide)
Illinois autopsy reports are not fully public records. They are released mainly to next of kin and attorneys, and held while a case is open. Here is how to request one.
Are Brass Knuckles Legal in Illinois? (2026 720 ILCS 5/24-1)
Illinois bans buying, selling, owning and carrying brass knuckles, including plastic ones. See the misdemeanor and felony penalties and the exemptions.
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal in Illinois? Psilocybin Laws (2026)
Psilocybin is Schedule I in Illinois. Possessing any amount is a Class 4 felony; delivery is a Class 3 to Class X felony by weight. No therapy program is in force.
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Bankruptcy in Illinois (2026): Exemptions & Means Test
Illinois bankruptcy: opted out of federal exemptions, the new $50,000 homestead under 735 ILCS 5/12-901 (2026), vehicle and wildcard amounts, means test.
BIPA Compliance for Employers (2026): Step-by-Step
BIPA compliance for employers using fingerprint or face-scan timeclocks: the seven Section 15 steps, plus a free self-check tool. Avoid the most common violations.
BIPA Damages: What a Violation Is Worth (2026)
BIPA damages explained: the $1,000 and $5,000 statutory amounts, why the 2024 amendment ended per-scan math, and what people actually receive in settlements.
BIPA Explained: Illinois Biometric Privacy Act (740 ILCS 14)
BIPA, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (740 ILCS 14), explained: consent rules, the $1,000 to $5,000 penalties, key cases, and the 2024 amendment.
BIPA Statute of Limitations: The 5-Year Deadline (2026)
The BIPA statute of limitations is five years for all claims, settled by Tims v. Black Horse Carriers (2023). How the deadline works and when the clock starts.
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Common Law Marriage in Illinois: Is It Recognized? (2026)
Illinois abolished common law marriage after June 30, 1905, under 750 ILCS 5/214. Illinois recognizes valid out-of-state common law marriages via comity.
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Do You Have a BIPA Claim? Check Your Eligibility (2026)
Do you have a BIPA claim? Use our free checker. You may qualify if a private company in Illinois scanned your fingerprint or face without written consent.
Does Illinois Have an Age Verification Law for Adult Websites? (2026)
Illinois has no age-verification law for adult content. Its enacted law, Public Act 104-0664, governs social media and device age signals instead.
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How Long Is a Life Sentence in Illinois? (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to life sentences in Illinois: parole eligibility, LWOP rules, notable cases, recent legislative changes, and sentencing statutes. Updated March 2026.
How to Find a Cause of Death in Illinois (2026)
How to find someone's cause of death in Illinois: where it's recorded, whether it's public, who can access the death certificate, and the coroner's role.
How to Get an Illinois Death Certificate (2026)
Get an Illinois death certificate from the IDPH Division of Vital Records or county clerk. The first certified copy is $19, each additional copy $4.
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Illinois Adoption Records: The 21+ Original Birth Certificate Rule
Illinois releases an adult adoptee's original birth certificate by default at age 21, unless a birth parent has filed for anonymity under 750 ILCS 50/18.04.
Illinois Age of Consent Laws: Statutes, Penalties and Reporting
How Illinois criminal law protects minors under 17 and 18, with age-gap offenses, position-of-trust rules, penalties and reporting.
Illinois AI Laws and Regulation (2026)
Guide to Illinois AI laws including HB 3773, which amends the Human Rights Act to address AI discrimination in employment.
Illinois AI Meeting Recording Laws (2026)
Illinois has double exposure for AI recorders: eavesdropping law AND BIPA biometric privacy. Up to $5,000 per BIPA violation.
Illinois Annulment Laws: Grounds, Deadlines and How to File (2026)
Illinois annulment is a declaration of invalidity of marriage under 750 ILCS 5/301. Grounds, the 90-day and one-year deadlines, who may file, and what happens next.
Illinois Assault and Battery Laws: Charges and Penalties (2026)
Illinois treats assault (720 ILCS 5/12-1) and battery (12-3) as separate crimes. See aggravated grades, protected victims, domestic battery and penalties.
Illinois At-Will Employment Laws: Exceptions and Your Rights
Illinois is an at-will state, but retaliatory-discharge torts, implied-contract handbooks, and a constitutional ban on right-to-work laws create major exceptions.
Illinois Audio Recording Laws: All-Party Consent Rules and Penalties (2026)
Illinois audio recording laws require all-party consent for private conversations under 720 ILCS 5/14-2. Learn the rules, penalties, exceptions, and how to record legally.
Illinois Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to Illinois background check laws covering Ban the Box, Clean Slate Act, IHRA conviction record protections, the 7-year lookback rule, and employer obligations.
Illinois Biometric Privacy Laws: Collection, Consent & Penalties (2026)
Illinois BIPA (740 ILCS 14) requires written consent before collecting fingerprints, face scans, or other biometrics. Violations carry $1,000-$5,000 in damages per violation.
Illinois Birth Certificate: Fees, Short vs Long Form and Cook County
IDPH charges $10 for a certified Illinois short-form birth certificate and $15 for the long form. How to order from IDPH or your county clerk, and who is eligible.
Illinois Car Accident Laws: Fault, Insurance, and Your Claim
Illinois is an at-fault state with modified comparative negligence (51% bar). Learn the 25/50/20 insurance minimums, 2-year lawsuit deadline, and UM/UIM rules.
Illinois Car Seat Laws (2026): Age, Weight & Penalty Rules
Illinois requires rear-facing seats until age 2 or 40 lbs/40 in, a restraint system to age 8, then seat belts to 16. See 2026 penalties and exemptions.
Illinois Child Custody Laws (2026): Allocation of Parental Responsibilities and Your Rights
Illinois uses 'allocation of parental responsibilities' and 'parenting time' instead of custody. Learn how courts decide best interests, the 2-year modification bar, and relocation rules.
Illinois Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator
Illinois uses the Income Shares Model under 750 ILCS 5/505. Learn how guidelines work, shared parenting adjustments, modification rules, and college expenses.
Illinois Court Records: How to Search by County and What re:SearchIL Actually Covers
Illinois court records are searched county by county. Learn what re:SearchIL covers so far, how Cook County's portal works, and how sealing works.
Illinois Dashcam Laws: Audio Rules, Placement, and Legal Use (2026)
Illinois dashcam laws allow video-only dashcams but restrict audio recording of private conversations. Learn placement rules, police interaction guidelines, and evidence use.
Illinois Data Breach Notification Laws: Reporting Rules & Timelines (2026)
Learn Illinois data breach notification rules under 815 ILCS 530, including reporting timelines, AG notification thresholds, encryption safe harbor, and penalties.
Illinois Data Privacy Laws: BIPA, Consumer Rights & Penalties (2026)
Illinois leads the nation in biometric privacy through BIPA, with penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Learn about BIPA settlements, data breach rules, and employee protections.
Illinois Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get One
Illinois is a closed-record state: certified death certificates go only to people with a personal, property, or genealogical interest. Records open after 20 years.
Illinois Debt Collection Laws: The 15% Wage Cap, 2026 Exemption Increases, and Debt Deadlines
Illinois caps wage garnishment at 15% of gross pay, tighter than the federal 25% floor. Debt deadlines, 2026 exemption increases, and repossession rules.
Illinois Deepfake Laws: AI Images, Voice Cloning & Penalties (2026)
Illinois has enacted some of the strongest deepfake laws in the nation. Learn about 720 ILCS 5/11-23.7, 765 ILCS 1075 (HB 4875), BIPA, and federal law for victims.
Illinois Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Illinois defamation laws explained: a strict 1-year statute of limitations (735 ILCS 5/13-201), the Citizen Participation Act anti-SLAPP, and per se rules.
Illinois Disorderly Conduct and Criminal Trespass Laws (2026)
Illinois disorderly conduct (720 ILCS 5/26-1) is a Class C misdemeanor in its basic form, but false alarms can be felonies. Most trespass is a Class B misdemeanor.
Illinois Divorce Laws (2026): Grounds, Residency, and Process
Illinois is no-fault only since 2016. Learn the irreconcilable-differences ground, 90-day residency rule, 6-month separation presumption, and equitable distribution rules.
Illinois Dog Bite Laws: Liability and Victim Rights
Learn Illinois dog bite laws under 510 ILCS 5/16: strict liability rules, the 2-year statute of limitations, dangerous dog penalties, and victim rights.
Illinois Drone Laws (2026): Police Warrants, Privacy, and Hunting
Illinois requires police to get a warrant before using a drone, under the Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act. Civilian privacy and hunting rules explained.
Illinois DUI Laws: Penalties, BAC Limit & License (2026)
Illinois DUI laws: the 0.08% BAC limit, first-offense penalties under 625 ILCS 5/11-501, the statutory summary suspension, BAIID, and felony thresholds.
Illinois E-Scooter Laws: Sidewalk, Helmet & Age Rules (2026)
Illinois requires riders to be 18 or older and lets cities opt in or stay out under 625 ILCS 5/11-1518. There is no statewide helmet requirement, and scooters cannot use state highways.
Illinois Easements, Landlocked Property and Eminent Domain (2026)
Illinois prescriptive easements take 20 years of adverse use under case law. Learn landlocked-land options, eminent domain public-use limits and fee rules.
Illinois Emancipation Laws: How to Get Emancipated in Illinois (2026)
Illinois emancipation law explained: 750 ILCS 30 petition process for mature minors aged 16-17, partial vs. complete emancipation, no-objection rule, marriage and military routes, and effects on child support and FAFSA.
Illinois Employee Monitoring Laws (2026): BIPA, Recording & More
Illinois employee monitoring law explained: all-party consent recording, the social media password ban, and BIPA's notice and consent rules for biometric time clocks.
Illinois Expungement Laws: Eligibility, Sealing, and How to File (2026)
Illinois distinguishes expungement from sealing under 20 ILCS 2630/5.2. Learn who qualifies, waiting periods, excluded offenses (DUI is ineligible), and how to petition the circuit court.
Illinois Felony Classes and Misdemeanor Penalties (2026)
Illinois sorts felonies into first degree murder, Class X and Classes 1-4, and misdemeanors into Classes A-C. See prison terms, fines and probation limits.
Illinois Final Paycheck Laws: Deadline, Penalties, PTO Rules
Illinois requires final pay at separation if possible, or your next payday at the latest, and bans forfeiting earned vacation. Full breakdown.
Illinois Fireworks Laws (2026): Are They Legal?
Illinois bans retail sale of consumer and display fireworks (425 ILCS 35/2); the only path is a consumer-display permit. Novelties like sparklers stay legal.
Illinois GPS Tracking Laws: Is It Legal to Put a Tracker on a Car? (2026)
Is it legal to put a GPS tracker on a car in Illinois? 720 ILCS 5/21-2.5 explained: owner consent rules, employer tracking, AirTag stalking, and penalties.
Illinois Grandparents' Rights: The Harm Standard Under §602.9
Illinois grandparent visitation requires proof of undue harm to the child, not just a best-interest finding. Standing triggers and the real standard.
Illinois Guardianship Laws: Minors, Adults and Alternatives (2026)
How Illinois guardianship works: clear and convincing proof, limited guardians first, counsel on request, short-term guardians for children, and alternatives.
Illinois Hit and Run Laws: Penalties and What to Do
Learn Illinois hit and run laws, penalties by offense level, reporting deadlines, and your legal duties after an accident under 625 ILCS 5/11-401 through 11-404.
Illinois Homestead Exemption: Amounts, Deadlines and How to Apply
Illinois cuts a home's EAV by up to $10,000 in Cook, $8,000 nearby and $6,000 elsewhere. See senior, freeze and veteran exemptions and how to apply.
Illinois Identity Theft Laws: Statute, Penalties, and the AG Hotline
Illinois identity theft law (720 ILCS 5/16-30) tiers penalties by dollar value and adds aggravated identity theft for victims 60+ or with a disability.
Illinois Jury Duty Laws: Pay, Exemptions and Employer Rules (2026)
Illinois jury duty rules: county-set pay (Cook pays $35 a day), hardship and caregiver excuses, the 10-day employer notice rule, and the 2027 employer pay law.
Illinois Knife Laws (2026): Switchblades and Intent Rule
Illinois bans switchblades outright but has a FOID-card exception. Carrying an ordinary knife needs unlawful intent, except in public buildings.
Illinois Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026): Deposits, Notice, and Tenant Rights
Illinois security deposit rules, return deadlines, notice to enter, habitability rights, and rent control preemption explained for 2026.
Illinois Landlord-Tenant Recording Laws: Camera Rules and Privacy Rights (2026)
Illinois landlord-tenant recording laws govern security cameras, audio surveillance, and privacy rights in rental properties. Learn placement rules and legal limits.